“I’ve been in government for 38 years as minister and I can’t remember when you ever had a budget surplus,” 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his finance chief possibly rushed to bring back the Zim Dollar to aid their move to pursue financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

It has been reported that Mnangagwa was considering a Eurobond offering to rescue the drastic economic status of Zimbabwe.

“It is necessary that we have our own currency. I have faith that we’ll achieve that even before the end of the year or by the first quarter of next year,” said Mnangagwa.

Since, 2009 when the state decided to eliminate its own currency the country has been using different currencies such as the South African rand, U.S dollar, and its own RTGS and bond notes that are also affected by inflation on a daily basis.

Mnangagwa last week hinted the return of the dollar and its core relation to the IMF funding said his finance minister, Mthuli Ncube had prepared the ground for a new currency, starting with the first budget surplus.

“I’ve been in government for 38 years as minister and I can’t remember when you ever had a budget surplus,” he said, “now, this young man has been able to achieve a budget surplus in less than eight months. So it tells me that what he tells me is possibly true on these issues.”

Ncube said: “The government last month agreed on measures to re-engage with the IMF for the first time in more than a decade. Under the arrangement, known as a staff-monitored program, the fund will assess government’s economic progress by the end of January.”

“The first order of business is to clear the arrears and then move onto phase two, which is the bilateral discussions with the Paris Club.”

“If it works well in the first phase, it’s the same Paris partners who control those two big institutions that I was talking about, the same people. So if they accept supporting us on the same program with the European Investment Bank, surely they will support us on the bilateral phase as well.”

So ED thinks return of Zim dollar, fake money will stop the use of foreign currency.

‌Political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has described the ban on the use of foreign currency by Emmerson Mnangagwa’ so government as political suicide.

So ED thinks return of Zim dollar, fake money will stop the use of foreign currency. Now RBZ will purchase new machines for printing massive useless notes. Back to 2007/8

It’s official. The Zimbabwe dollar is back. This is economic suicide!

This follows after the Government banned all foreign currency with effect from today using SI 142 of 2019. All transactions will  be settled using the Zimbabwe Dollar.

art of the Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 reads:

Zimbabwe dollar to be the sole currency for legal tender purposes

2. (1) Subject to section 1 with effect from the 24th June 2019, the British pound, United States dollar, South African rand, Botswana pula, and any other foreign currency whatsoever shall no longer be legal tender alongside the Zimbabwe dollar in any transactions in Zimbabwe.

(2) Accordingly, the Zimbabwe dollar shall, with effect from the 24th June 2019, but subject to section 3, be the sole legal tender in Zimbabwe in all transactions.

I am not aware of any country which has no currency of its own, but that is not my field — I am a lawyer — but except for Zimbabwe,

President Emmerson Mnangagwa literally warned of his government’s imminent removal of the multi currency regime two days ago in Mozambique when he said his government Government had finalised modalities to introduce a new currency, which will be the sole legal tender in the country.

In an interview with business media outlet, Bloomberg, on the sidelines of the 12th US-Africa Business Summit in Maputo, Mozambique, on Thursday, the President said “it is necessary that we have our own currency” since it is presently difficult to determine the level of money supply in the economy.

“Then, of course, there is an issue which is critical also for any economy: this is the question of currency. I am not aware of any country which has no currency of its own, but that is not my field — I am a lawyer — but except for Zimbabwe, I haven’t been told of another country which doesn’t have its own currency.

“Even poor countries have currencies from what I hear, so we intend to introduce our own,” said President Mnangagwa.
The value of the new currency, he added, would be tethered to the country’s economic activities and assets.

He said the name of the local unit would be inconsequential as long as it meets the set objectives of sustainably growing the local economy.

“The name of the local currency? You know Deng Xiaoping of China? The cat doesn’t need to be white or black as long as it catches mice, so the name of the currency to me is not a critical issue; the critical issue is we must have a domestic currency by whatever name.

“We must have a domestic currency so that will be the currency which we will use for transactions in the country. Anybody who has US dollars or a tonne of pounds must go to the bank and change and transact . . . the money supply will relate also to our GDP; it will relate to the volume of assets we have; to development of infrastructure in the country,” he said.

South African Finance Minister Tito Mboweni recently indicated that it would be reasonable and sensible for Harare to begin using its own currency.

The Youths said that all the party members fingered in the corruption should do the honourable thing and not report for work until they have cleared the allegations made against them.

‌

The Zanu-PF Youth League led by its Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Lewis Matutu today made a number of allegations against senior business people and party officials over corruption.

The Youths said that all the party members fingered in the corruption should do the honourable thing and not report for work until they have cleared the allegations made against them. The Youth League said that it was going to lock out all the Zanu-PF officials from entering their offices until they have cleared the allegations.

The full list is as below

Tino Machakaire

John Panonetsa Mangudya

Wicknell Chivayo

Neville Mutsvangwa

Gibson Mhonda Unifreight

Tafadzwa Musarara (GMAZ)

Tongai Muzenda (MMCZ)

Henrieta Rushwaya (Zimbabwe Miners Federation)

Dr Shah – PCD

Prisca Mupfumira – NSSA Scandal

Obert Mpofu

Joram Gumbo

Jacob Mudenda – Speaker Of Parliament over Zinara Report

The announcement has long been expected in the country under the current regime which has been threatening on the move for a long time. The move leaves lots of uncertainty amongst Zimbabweans.

GOVERNMENT has outlawed the use of multiple currencies through new regulations that compel all forms of transacting to be done in local currency, now formally known as Zimbabwe dollar.

The announcement has long been expected in the country under the current regime which has been threatening on the move for a long time. The move leaves lots of uncertainty amongst Zimbabweans.

Through Statutory Instrument (SI) 142 of 2019, known as Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (Legal Tender) Regulations, the Government abolished the use of British pound, United States dollar, South African rand, Botswana pula and any other foreign currencies, as legal tender.

Prior to the latest development, Zimbabwe used a basket of currencies collectively referred to as the multicurrency system, which was adopted in 2009 when the country scrapped its domestic currency.

Until today (Monday) payments in Zimbabwe could be made in any of the approved currencies that included the US dollar, British pound, South African rand, Botswana pula and RTGS dollar.

“Accordingly, the Zimbabwe dollar, with effect from 24^th June, 2019, but subject to subsection 3, be the sole legal tender in Zimbabwe in all transactions,” Statutory Instrument 142 says.

The new Zimbabwe dollar will have same boundaries, extent in space, time, or meaning as the RTGS dollars, which entails all bond notes and approved forms of electronic money in Zimbabwe.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is declared that references to the Zimbabwe dollar are conterminous with references to the following;

“The bond notes and coins referred to in section 44B, the electronic currency prescribed for purposes of section 44C of the Act, that is to say the RTGS dollar.

“The above mentioned bond notes and RTGS dollars are at par with the Zimbabwe dollar, that is to say each  bond note unit and each RTGS dollar is equivalent to a Zimbabwe dollar and each 100^th  part of a RTGS dollar is equivalent to a Zimbabwean cent.”

Farai Dziva|Under pressure Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has said the decision to ban the use of foreign currency as legal tender in Zimbabwe is a step towards a return to normalcy.

In a statement Ncube said :”I can say the ban on the use of foreign currency is a step towards the country’s return to economic restoration.

We implemented similar measures to protect local industry when we imposed a ban on importing selected products.”

He added :You can still keep your hard currency but you cannot use it to buy goods over the counter.”

The SI is not so far-reaching as its makers perhaps intended, Veritas Zimbabwe has claimed.

Veritas Zimbabwe further made reference to its “Bill Watch 15 of the 21st March 2019” in which it states:

Legal tender means a currency which, if offered in payment of a debt, discharges the debt unless the creditor and the debtor have specifically agreed otherwise.  So if a debtor owes a creditor $20, say, the debtor can normally repay the debt by offering $20 in RTGS dollars (because they are legal tender).  If however the parties have agreed that the debt should be repaid in US dollars, then the debtor must repay it in those dollars.  There is no law in Zimbabwe which invalidates a contract that stipulates payment in a foreign currency.  Similarly there is no law in Zimbabwe that requires prices to be marked up in legal tender or accounts to be drawn up in legal tender.

It then concludes that the new instrument does not specifically forbid contracts that require payments to be made in a foreign currency.

Veritas Zimbabwe added:

“…so if shopkeepers mark their prices in US dollars, say, or insist on payment in that currency there is nothing to stop them doing so.

Veritas further claims that the main reason behind the ‘reintroduction’ of the Zimbabwean dollar was to prevent the RTGS dollar from further deteriorating. The RTGS has, since its introduction in February, been shedding value against other currencies.

Meanwhile, memories of the 2008 hyperinflation that reached a record high of 231 million percent are haunting Zimbabweans.

Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government;
Honourable Ministers Responsible for Wildlife from our respective countries;
Other Honourable Ministers;
The African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Ambassador Joseph Sacko;

The Secretary General of CITES, Ms Ivonne Higuero;
The United Nations Environment Programme Deputy Executive Secretary, Ms Joyce Msuya;

Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps here present;

Senior Government Officials from our various countries;

All our sponsors and partners;

Members of the media fraternity;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to Zimbabwe and especially to the Victoria Falls National Park and World Heritage Site, one of the world’s seven natural wonders. As many of you may be aware, Victoria Falls is situated in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) which is the home of the African elephant.

We are delighted to host this inaugural Wildlife Economy Summit; the first of its kind on the African Continent which is being held under the theme ‘Communities for Conservation, Harnessing Conservation Tourism and Supporting Governments’. This resonates with our renewed effort to ensure that our citizens benefit from the sustainable management of natural resources and wildlife.

It is my sincere hope that you have experienced the warm Zimbabwean hospitality, since your arrival. I am optimistic that our deliberations will go a long way towards the realisation of the conservation agenda of our great Continent. Thriving wildlife resources have a tremendous potential to be instrumental in sustainable socio-economic development through associated wildlife oriented businesses such as eco-tourism, hunting and photographic safaris among other benefits.

We must therefore, continue to utilise platforms such as this one, to explore innovative ways to leverage wildlife resources to grow our economies; eradicate poverty; achieve broad based empowerment, create decent jobs, especially for women and youth. It is equally important to guarantee biodiversity within our ecosystems.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
This Summit is being held when the tourism sector in Zimbabwe is on the rebound. We are making concerted efforts to rejuvenate our tourism and hospitality industry so that it meaningfully contributes towards the attainment of our national vision to become a middle income economy by 2030.

To this end, achieving peaceful human-wildlife co-existence and sound conservation principles are a top priority to my government. The Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources which is a testimony of the need for more robust community-based natural resources management strategies, continue to be reinvigorated.

In addition, to encouraging community participation, my Government is promoting an integrated concept of conservancies which involves strong private sector participation. Conservancies have also become important partners in developing tourism activities and products in non-traditional tourism areas, thereby enhancing broad based empowerment.

As a result, we now have conservancies in the Save Valley, Bubye Valley and the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, among others. These initiatives have seen notable annual population growth of some species such as elephants, rhinos, lions and buffaloes.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen;
Zimbabwe subscribes to the founding principles of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES. We remain committed to the adherence of its protocols and rules. We are gravely concerned by the one-size-fits all approach, where banning of trade is creeping into the CITES decision making processes. We call upon the institution to resist the temptation of being a ‘policing institution’ and instead be a developmental one which promotes the intricate balance between conservation and sustainable utilisation of all wildlife resources.

In relation to the conservation of elephants, the Savanna elephants, which are predominantly found in Southern Africa, constitute approximately 50% of the continent’s elephant species. This bears testimony to our region’s success in championing sustainable conservation programmes. In addition, the region has the largest range area and elephant numbers which extend beyond designated wildlife areas to include communal areas. This success must be duly recognized, while our voices and concerns given due consideration.

Distinguished Delegates;

The global wildlife community is going to CITES COP 18 in Geneva, Switzerland in August this year. As a country and region, we remain guided by our principle of sustainable utilisation of wildlife. We are determined to ensure that conservation is both sustainable and beneficial to host communities.

Zimbabwe, as with other African countries pursuing in-situ wildlife conservation, requires significant funding, for the conservation agenda. Communities that are living adjacent to protected areas continue to experience unprecedented human-wildlife conflicts. They risk being maimed or killed and their crops destroyed. They must experience the value and developmental benefits of living with, and conserving wildlife.

At present, our country’s land area under protected area and wildlife production is approximately twenty-six percent of the total land size. This is an indication of the enormous value we place on wildlife.
However, the management of such expansive land area requires a significant amount of funding and investment. We welcome partners and investors to optimally manage and unlock value from our wildlife towards helping build ‘nature-based economies’. As a Government, we will continuously ensure a conducive operating environment for wildlife management and conservation.

As you are aware, Safari hunting is a vital cog in successful wildlife economies. Proceeds obtained from hunting are reinvested towards the provision of game water, fencing and law enforcement, among other conservation initiatives. We continue to call for the free trade in hunting products as these have a positive impact on the national and local economies of our countries.

Currently Zimbabwe has about US$600million worth of ivory and rhino horns stocks, most of which, is from natural attrition of those animals. If we are allowed to dispose the same under agreed to parameters, the revenue derived therefrom would suffice to finance our operational conservation efforts for the next 20 years!

Going forward, Zimbabwe encourages a world that embraces the principle of a shared responsibility where natural resources are utilized in accordance with the principle of sustainability. We encourage a process where accruing benefits from natural resources are fairly and equitably shared among communities living within wildlife areas. This way, the wildlife resources add value and improve the quality of life of local communities.

Distinguished Delegates;

My Government is committed to play its part in addressing the challenge of poaching and has instituted a raft of measures to curb the scourge. These include the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement; Park and Species Management Plans and Policies as well as combating the use of poisons and encouraging aerial surveillance support and application of new technologies, among others. We are also strengthening law enforcement to combat internal and cross-border wildlife crime.

As a stakeholder, we stand ready to increase our participation in other regional, continental and global conservation campaigns.

Your Excellencies; Ladies and Gentlemen;
I once again welcome you to Zimbabwe and I invite you to find some time off the busy schedule to tour the nearby majestic Victoria Falls and also visit our National Park were you will most likely encounter all the members of the big five.

With these remarks, it is now my singular honour and pleasure to officially declare the Inaugural, Africa Wildlife Economy Summit, officially opened.

I thank you.

Mimosa Mining Company has confirmed that a fatal mining accident at its Zvishavane site resulted in the injury and ultimate death of one of its employees on Saturday last week.

Below is the Mimosa Mining Company press release;

It is with deep regret that Mimosa Mining Company advises of a fatal mining accident at its mining location in Zvishavane.

At 23.20hours on Saturday the 22nd of June 2019, Tichaona Nedziwe (39) was barring down in a supported area at 22 Level South when a rock fell and seriously injured him. First aid was promptly administered and Tichaona was evacuated from the mine. Unfortunately he passed on upon admission at the mine clinic.

Tichaona was engaged as a Face Preparation Supervisor. He began his service with Mimosa on the 5th of October 2017. 

He is survived by his wife, Emily and four children.

The Mimosa Board, management and staff would like to express their sincere condolences to Tichaona’s family, his relatives and friends.

A full investigation is now underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the accident.

Mimosa continues to urge all employees to exercise maximum diligence and reiterates its commitment to attaining ZERO HARM in all its activities.

Farai Dziva|Well placed ZESA sources have alleged that Masvingo Minister of State For Provincial Affairs Ezra Chadzamira’s name is on top of the company’s list of defaulters.

This comes at a time the country is grappling with incessant power cuts as ZESA battles with ballooning debt.

“Minister Chadzamira’ s name is on top of the list of ZESA defaulters in Masvingo Province.

While I cannot disclose the exact figure he owes us, I can tell you that he breached a payment plan we had designed for him,” said a ZESA official.

While the exact figure ZESA is presently owed by consumers, in 2016 the power utility was owed more than $1 billion.

“In the interest of service provision, the power utility has stepped up credit control measures in order to recover the debt owed.

All defaulting business consumers in the commercial, mining, industrial, domestic (post-paid) and farming sectors are required to make payment plans in order to clear their bills within six months,” said another source.

“It is unfortunate Zanu PF officials are untouchable but they owe us a lot of money.”

Farai Dziva|Social media analyst Anthony Taruvinga has castigated the decision by Emmerson Mnangagwa’ s government to ban the use of foreign currency in Zimbabwe as disastrous.

Taruvinga described Mthuli Ncube as a carpenter thriving on voodoo economics.

“In an open economy with market determination of prices, exchange rate movements are the most important indicator of the underlying macro economic fundamentals, as the same goes, when in doubts, on observe the exchange rates.

The lessons from history of all governments is that you can’t manage an economy with propaganda.

In fact, you can engage in all the propaganda you want but if the fundamentals are weak, the exchange rates will expose you, remember Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, Vice President of Ghana.”

Spotlight Zimbabwe claims that the working relationship between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Deputy Constantino Chiwenga is at an all-time low as the two jostles for control of the ruling party and country.

The report cites unnamed sources in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) who said that the two are no longer on speaking terms since the VP returned from India where he had gone for a medical review.

Part of the report reads:

“Chiwenga has not been seen in public nor appeared on state television for over a month, raising a red political flag that he could be planning to brew a shocker, in the form of kicking Mnangagwa out of power, using his reported health woes as a perfect cover story for his absence, government insiders have said.”

By Own Correspondent- The Headmaster of St Ludger Primary School in Marondera is reported to have died after he fell from an Avocado tree.

According to the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe, the headmaster was harvesting the avocados for sale at his market stall.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for details

According to Hopewell Chin’ono, government should not force people to use a currency when the fundamentals are not in place.

“The RBZ & @MthuliNcube have “legislated” the RTGS as the only legal tender & yet government will continue demanding US$s for its duties according to this document, yet to be verified! You can’t force & command people to use a currency until you have laid the right fundamentals!,” Tweeted Chin’ono.

The government has with immediate effect banned use of all foreign currency in the country declaring the Zimbabwe Dollar or RTGS Dollar as the only legal currency in the country.

See the Government Gazette notice just issued below.

This is a developing story. More details to follow.

Many Harare residents fear they could soon be homeless now that landlords are allowed to charge rent In US dollars.

Locals still earn salaries In real-time gross transfer (RTGS) dollars, which are six times weaker than the US dollar and 11 times weaker on the black market.

Most citizens have access to the US dollar only through the black market.

Recently, tenants at the Croco Motors­ owned residential park, Norbridge Court, in Harare, reported their landlord to the Rent Board for charging them in US dollars.

The board, which arbitrates disputes be­tween a landlord and a tenant, ruled in favour of Croco Motors, which means it is allowed to demand payment in forex.

The monthly rent for the premises in which you reside shall be $170 for a bedsitter and $215 fora bachelor,” reads a notice from Tawanda Chivaro, the property manager.

-Sunday Times

The Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) is deeply concerned by the growing adverse effect of the economic meltdown on women. The worsening economic situation has adversely affected women and is continuously pushing a large number of them into poverty everyday. 

Staple food and other basic goods have risen beyond the reach of most ordinary families particularly female led households. At the same time, social safety net services that are mostly used by women such as health, shelter, education, pensions, water and sanitation and electricity are on the decline. As a result, vulnerability has increased among women and girls.

WALPE therefore, appeals to the Government to urgently address the prevailing economic crisis to relieve the suffering of women and girls by; among others:

i) Ensuring the above mentioned social safety net services are affordable and provided in a consistent and timely manner.

ii) Create job opportunities for women.

iii) Actively involve women in identifying gender sensitive solutions to the current economic challenges.

Failure to immediately address the impasse will further exacerbate the plight of women and girls and potentially lead to other serious problems such as trauma and mental health issues. The current economic hardship is also taking a toll on women’s active and full participation in leadership as they are preoccupied with fending their families hence the urgent call for solutions to stabilise the economy.

ZimEye will be livestreaming a press conference by the Zanu Pf Youth league today.

The presser is set to be addressed by the party’s youth wing at Zanu Pf headquarters in Harare.

Refresh this page for latest updates…

By Own Correspondent- War veterans have warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa against listening to his ‘useless’ ministers while ignoring the opposition which could help correct the economic turmoil currently facing the country.

The war veterans accused cabinet ministers of misleading President to corruptly benefit from the current economic crisis.

In an exclusive interview with a local publication in Mutare, Irvin Mbengo the Deputy Political Commissar for Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Manicaland Chapter) said:

The problem is that President Mnangagwa is taking too much time concentrating and listening to useless people around him, these so-called ministers.

These are the wrong people giving him poisonous ideas. These people are not employable elsewhere so they hang around the President giving him wrong information and advice, thereby, taking advantage of their positions to thrive on massive corruption, enriching themselves in the process.

They have taken the situation to further satisfy their selfish egos and ends. They are heartless these people. The President must not listen to these people anymore because what they want is to benefit from the country’s economic situation.

We have too many thieves in the leadership of this country. There is corruption everywhere and our country’s leadership is protecting these corrupt officials.

… The only answer that solves the economy is the GNU. It will only take about nine months before we start talking about a better economy. We have tasted how life was good during the previous GNU.

Everything was dead in the country. But when the GNU came in everything came alive again. Everything went well smoothly.

Now we are back at it again, we have long queues and cashless banks. We should not be late again, GPA is the only solution.

In 2009, following the total collapse of the country’s economy, the then President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara came together to form an all-inclusive government.

The shortlived GNU brought stability to the country. At the end of the GNU in 2013, the economy again entered into a tailspin.

By Own Correspondent- Former liberation war fighters who have been President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anchor have demanded that Zanu PF reaches out to opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa to form a coalition government to douse the economic turmoil currently facing the country.

In an exclusive interview with a local publication in Mutare, Irvin Mbengo the Deputy Political Commissar for Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Manicaland Chapter) said:

The problem is that President Mnangagwa is taking too much time concentrating and listening to useless people around him, these so-called ministers.

These are the wrong people giving him poisonous ideas. These people are not employable elsewhere so they hang around the President giving him wrong information and advice, thereby, taking advantage of their positions to thrive on massive corruption, enriching themselves in the process.

They have taken the situation to further satisfy their selfish egos and ends. They are heartless these people. The President must not listen to these people anymore because what they want is to benefit from the country’s economic situation.

We have too many thieves in the leadership of this country. There is corruption everywhere and our country’s leadership is protecting these corrupt officials.

… The only answer that solves the economy is the GNU. It will only take about nine months before we start talking about a better economy. We have tasted how life was good during the previous GNU.

Everything was dead in the country. But when the GNU came in everything came alive again. Everything went well smoothly.

Now we are back at it again, we have long queues and cashless banks. We should not be late again, GPA is the only solution.

In 2009, following the total collapse of the country’s economy, the then President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara came together to form an all-inclusive government.

The short-lived GNU brought stability to the country. At the end of the GNU in 2013, the economy again entered into a tailspin.

"I was part of ZAPU team who supported President Chamisa's presidency before 2018. You all saw Chamisa holding hands with Dumiso Dabengwa in Bulawayo before" elections. 

Perennial opposition politician Barbara Nyagomo has sensationally disclosed that the MDC turned down her offer to join the leadership of the party instead advising her to join the party at grassroots level as an ordinary member.

Nyagomo is a Zimbabwean politician, nurse, and philanthropist based in the UK. She is the founder and President of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ) political party. Before starting her own party Nyagomo was the Zapu Europe Vice-chairperson.

In the run up to the 2018 elections she struck a deal with the Dumiso Dabengwa led ZAPU to have her party integrated into ZAPU as an election pact.

She is believed to have had an influential role in getting MDC leader Nelson Chamisa into relations with the late ZAPU leader and liberation war stalwart Dumiso Dabengwa.

“MDC told me to join and start at Branch level. Is it because I am not a Lawyer or coz I am an uneducated woman with Serious Rural Background (SRB),” said Nyagomo on her social media pages.

Without mentioning it, Nyagomo was referring to the MDC’s admission of lawyer Fadzai Mahere into the party after she contested last year’s elections as an independent candidate on failing to be the main opposition party’s candidate. She was subsequently appointed into the MDC Standing Committee as Secretary for Education.

“I was part of ZAPU team who supported President Chamisa’s presidency before 2018. You all saw Chamisa holding hands with Dumiso Dabengwa in Bulawayo before” elections. Have I not served my country and people well?” Nyagomo questioned.

She echoed an on-going public assertion that the MDC leadership is made up of predominantly lawyers which she believes failed her being recognised by the party.

“Is it a Law Firm or a political party?”

Mahere, a human rights lawyer, joined mainstream politics in June 2017 when she announced she was going to run as an independent candidate for the 2018 elections in Harare’s Mount Pleasant constituency.

She lost to MDC Alliance’s Samuel Banda.

By Own Correspondent| MDC president Nelson Chamisa said that Zimbabwe is awash with the foreign currency which is adequate to meet the country’s needs.

Chamisa opined that the problem is that the forex is not in banks but is kept in the homes of the affluent who are afraid of losing it in banks.

Speaking to journalists in Harare on Sunday, Chamisa said:

I know the question is where will you get the US$? The US$ is here in the country, nobody is going to put their money in a hole.

The biggest hole is the government, so they don’t want to invest in banks because they know there is no confidence.

If you go to houses, particularly in those other suburbs, you will have the banks of Scotland, the bank of India, all sorts of currencies, but the people will never deposit them in the banking system because there is no confidence.

The cash crisis is a political crisis, so you cannot resolve this so-called cash crisis without resolving the fundamental governance issues and politics is the issue.

(Former United States) President Bill Clinton once said it is politics stupid and in our situation, it is the politics, stupid. What does it mean? Let’s resolve the politics and we will be able to unlock the economy.

DIARY ITEM

23 June 2019

Members of the media are cordially invited to a ZANU PF Youth League Press briefing to be held on Monday 24 June 2019 at 1600hrs at ZANU PF HQ( Main Hall, Committe room ).
Kindly spread the message.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said that it arrested seven drug dealers at Copacabana rank in central Harare on Sunday night.

It said in a statement:

The ZRP last night arrested 7 drug peddlers at Copacabana commuter rank in Harare.

The suspects were found in possession of dagga with some openly smoking the illicit drug near a local supermarket.

The ZRP expresses appreciation to some media houses and individuals who raised the alarm over the activities at this commuter rank.

Police will continue to conduct raids and blitz on all commuter ranks with a view to account for drug peddlers and to maintain law and order.

Zimbabwe Republic Police

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is the country’s law enforcing and maintaining organ. It was established in 1980 evolving from the Rhodesian Police and incorporated members from both the Rhodesian and the nationalist forces. It operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

By A Correspondent- It has, like South Africa’s taxis route wars, ugly history of being bloody. They say Zimbabweans are reneging on a 2012 agreement to carry only goods, leaving passengers to the South Africans who earn R20 a trip per passenger.

On the other hand, ZCTA members say to stay afloat, they now have to carry passengers because of low amounts of goods on the route as numbers of Zimbabwean shoppers to South Africa continue to dwindle.

ZCTA members have been taking more than their fair share, loading passengers on the Zimbabwean side and even inside the border post on their way to Musina, denying their South African colleagues business.

This has not gone down well with BTA members, who throughout the week mounted roadblocks on the once lucrative 15km stretch. The South Africans demanded amounts ranging between R1 000 and

R3 000 from any Zimbabwean vehicle belonging to ZCTA, in a punitive counter-measure. At times they forced passengers out and onto their vehicles.

Several Zimbabwean vehicles last week were stopped and cash demanded from drivers whose cars had passengers. Some innocent travellers were caught up in the fracas.

“We have that understanding, which is an agreement. We must only carry goods on the SA side and not passengers. “South Africans actually sold their trailers to some of our members when we sealed the deal.

“We must not carry any passengers on their soil, but some of our members are losing focus and becoming selfish,” chairman of ZCTA Takavingei Mahachi said.

“We have among us some people who are not our members and do not understand the consequences of such actions and South Africans could be justified in demanding money from people who carry passengers on their route.”

He advised cross-border shoppers to use BTA transport to avoid being caught up in a crossfire when the taxi operators in SA take the law into their own hands. A member of BTA who spoke to The Standard said members of his association were happy to carry passengers although carrying goods was more lucrative.

He said they applied for permission to demonstrate against the unfair treatment and they would search all cars carrying passengers and demand cash from them although it could get worse.

Mahachi condemned some members of his association for causing problems on the route, saying if managed professionally, there was enough share for everyone.-Standard

The new deal will see the least paid government worker taking home around ZWL$1 000, from the current ZWL$600, 

GOVERNMENT has fended off a potentially crippling industrial action in the civil service after President Emmerson Mnangagwa assented to a pay raise for the restive workers effective next month.

The new deal will see the least paid government worker taking home around ZWL$1 000, from the current ZWL$600, sources said.

Mnangagwa met civil servant leaders in the Apex Council at State House on Friday, where the workers pleaded incapacitation, telling him that they would be unable to report for duty because they could barely afford basics and make ends meet.

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina), which had warned that its members would go on strike this week, said following the meeting with Mnangagwa, they had now shelved their planned job action.

“During the meeting, the (Zina) executive was given an opportunity to present the grievances of the nursing profession. Of the grievances discussed, the one which was dealt with at great length was the issue relating to remuneration, wherein the executive reiterated that due to incapacity, the nurses would not be attending work from
June 24 unless salaries are increased,” Zina said.

Mnangagwa, who was in the company of his Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, acting Labour minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Health minister Obadiah Moyo and chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Vincent Hungwe, promised to increase civil servants’ salaries and asked for the strike action to be shelved.

“The President and those in attendance understood the position of the nurses and gave an undertaking that salaries were going to be reviewed. More specifically, the undertaking was that salaries were going to be reviewed upwards from July 1 … As a result, a request was made that nurses withhold their intention to embark on a full-scale industrial action,” Zina said.

Mutsvangwa confirmed the meeting, saying Mnangagwa met with teachers, other civil servants and “listened” to their problems.

“We have a listening President and he spent the better part of the day listening and the government is going to act. What I can say is wait for the Minister of Finance to give an official statement on what was agreed,” she said.

Insiders said that civil servants would also be offered a hardship allowance in July, although the figures are yet to be fixed.

The deal will remain in place up until government introduces an official new currency which government sees as a panacea to the skyrocketing inflation, which has eroded salaries to the point that the lowest paid effectively earns US$36 per month on the current black market rate.

Government expects to have a new currency in place by the end of March next year.

MDC treasurer-general David Coltart said salary increases would not solve the current crisis because this would only serve to push up prices and inflation.

By Own Correspondent- War veterans on Sunday called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reach out to the opposition to form a Government of National Unity (GNU).

The war veterans accused cabinet ministers of misleading President to corruptly benefit from the current economic crisis.

In an exclusive interview with a local publication in Mutare, Irvin Mbengo the Deputy Political Commissar for Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Manicaland Chapter) said:

The problem is that President Mnangagwa is taking too much time concentrating and listening to useless people around him, these so-called ministers.

These are the wrong people giving him poisonous ideas. These people are not employable elsewhere so they hang around the President giving him wrong information and advice, thereby, taking advantage of their positions to thrive on massive corruption, enriching themselves in the process.

They have taken the situation to further satisfy their selfish egos and ends. They are heartless these people. The President must not listen to these people anymore because what they want is to benefit from the country’s economic situation.

We have too many thieves in the leadership of this country. There is corruption everywhere and our country’s leadership is protecting these corrupt officials.

… The only answer that solves the economy is the GNU. It will only take about nine months before we start talking about a better economy. We have tasted how life was good during the previous GNU.

Everything was dead in the country. But when the GNU came in everything came alive again. Everything went well smoothly.

Now we are back at it again, we have long queues and cashless banks. We should not be late again, GPA is the only solution.

In 2009, following the total collapse of the country’s economy, the then President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara came together to form an all-inclusive government.

The shortlived GNU brought stability to the country. At the end of the GNU in 2013, the economy again entered into a tailspin.-ZimMorningPost

“The cash crisis is a political crisis, so you cannot resolve this so-called cash crisis without resolving the fundamental governance issues and politics is the issue." 

NewsDay|ZIMBABWE has millions in foreign currency that is adequate to sustain its economy, ramp up failing industries and sustain a return to dollarisation, opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has said.

Calling for a return to dollarisation and abandonment of the local RTGS currency, Chamisa warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa not to introduce a new local currency until confidence returned to the banking sector and government.

“I know the question is where will you get the US$? The US$ is here in the country, nobody is going to put their money in a hole. The biggest hole is government, so they don’t want to invest in banks because they know there is no confidence. If you go to houses, particularly in those other suburbs, you will have the banks of Scotland, the bank of India, all sorts of currencies, but the people will never deposit them in the banking system because there is no confidence,” Chamisa told journalists in Harare yesterday.

He said the crisis in Zimbabwe, which has seen companies fold owing to a biting shortage of foreign currency, prices spiking as the local currency continues to lose value, both on the interbank and black market, was being caused by bad politics.

“The cash crisis is a political crisis, so you cannot resolve this so-called cash crisis without resolving the fundamental governance issues and politics is the issue. (Former United States) President Bill Clinton once said it is politics stupid and in our situation, it is the politics, stupid. What does it mean? Let’s resolve the politics and we will be able to unlock the economy,” Chamisa said.

“We have said it over and over again, in order for you to resolve the cash crisis, you need confidence and trust, look at our trust deficiency.”

High levels of corruption and policy inconsistencies have also made Zimbabwe an unattractive destination for Foreign Direct Investment, depriving the country of critical capital injection which could boost the economy.

“Cameroon, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Nigeria are on the list of the World Bank for the countries that have the highest political risk. We must eliminate that risk and then begin to have a currency that is stable and we have said, instead of just having a basket of currencies, let’s have an anchor currency, which is based on the USD and then we move progressively to then deal with the other issues,” the opposition leader said.

“You can’t have this fake currency and you want to report false surplus which, in real terms, is not there. So we need to deal with that issue; and if we are in government, we will deal with it.”

Mnangagwa’s government has said it will make it illegal to use foreign currency for local transactions.

“I have said that we would achieve that either before the end of the year or by the end of the first quarter of next year,” Mnangagwa told Bloomberg last week.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe would not develop if it does not have its own currency, which will stabilise prices and restore value in salaries of the workers, which have been eroded to way below US$100 per month.

Zanu PF, through its youth league deputy secretary Lewis Matutu, has admitted that it is harbouring corrupt leaders in government and ministers whose children have become black-market kingpins.

Matutu has threatened to name and shame the corrupt, who he accused of sabotaging Mnangagwa’s economic turnaround plans.

Some girls have reportedly had to share the same piece of cloth with their mothers to stem menstrual flows as they cannot afford proper pads.

THE Government has noted that the price of sanitary wear has shot beyond the reach of many women who have resorted to using unhygienic materials exposing them to various diseases but only emphasised on the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) waiving  customs duty on imports of the feminine product instead of considering calls for these to be distributed for free especially to young school girls.

In a statement , ZIMRA said: “There is no customs duty on the importation of sanitary wear for women. The price of sanitary wear in Zimbabwe shot up beyond the reach of many women facing them to use unhygienic materials that expose them to infections and other health-related problems.

“In response to the plight of women, the Government scrapped duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on sanitary wear to make it available and to promote hygiene for women. Statutory Instrument 264 of 2018 provides for a suspension of duty on sanitary wear for women for imports done during the period December 1 2018 to November 30,2019.

“This means that no customs duty will be charged on importation of sanitary wear. In addition, the sanitary wear is exempted from paying import VAT, meaning that VAT is not charged in terms of Statutory Instrument 265 of 2018.

“Examples of sanitary wear covered under this exemption include products like sanitary towels and tampons. It should be noted that any products that is sanitary wear of any other chapter than 96 will attract the applicable duty,” read the statement.

In Zimbabwe, about 72 percent of menstruating rural primary school girls do not use sanitary pads.

Some girls have reportedly had to share the same piece of cloth with their mothers to stem menstrual flows as they cannot afford proper pads.

This has seen most girls missing school or using unhygienic material exposing themselves to urinary tract infections, rashes and bacterial build-ups.

Sanitary wear products will benefit from a suspension of customs duty, and an exemption from VAT for a period of 12 months.

While the move by government can be applauded women rights activists have continuously called on government to make the wear available for free from a lower level at primary education, because this is where girls start to be excluded as some miss school every month for the mere reason that they are girls.

A lot of girls miss school for a number of days each month when they menstruate, due to period poverty.

A study conducted in 2014 (when inflation averaged -0.2% that year) established that 72% of menstruating school girls did not use sanitary pads, while 62% of them missed school due to lack of sanitary wear.

How about now when inflation has risen to an all time dollarisation high of 20,85% with black market premiums for acquiring foreign currency as high as 250%? This can only point to worsening period poverty levels in Zimbabwe, much to the compromise of the health of disadvantaged girls and women.

While welcome the proposal by Treasury to suspend customs duty and VAT on imported sanitary wear for 12-months, many retailers who import stock are selling their ware in RTGS, and have to buy foreign currency each time they import.

Their ability to stock depends on foreign currency availability and many retailers have been complaining of inadequate foreign currency allocations, with some having to resort to the black market where usurious premiums are charged. In the rural areas, about 44 percent of rural shops do not sell any sanitary products at all.

While Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said the scrapping of duty and VAT on sanitary wear was “in order to cushion underpriviledged women and girls”, it should be noted that the underpriviledged are those who do not have any income at all to buy sanitary wear.

The underpriviledged are homeless girls and women, female prisoners, the disabled and rural girls who often miss school due to lack of sanitary pads, pain relievers and other sanitary needs. Therefore, none of the measures announced by the Minister will actually cushion the underpriviledged as they will still be unable to access sanitary wear.

Sanitary pads remain a luxury to the underprivileged, the majority of whom can barely afford a decent meal. Access of sanitary wear by the underprivileged can only happen when costs are totally removed out of the picture.

To help picture the context, imagine a 15-year-old girl who sleeps in Harare Gardens and survives on food from the bins.

She menstruates six days every month and she uses dirty rags that she picks from the bins. She experiences painful stomach cramps and has no pain relievers. To escape the period pain, she sniffs glue to intoxicate herself and she starts having hallucinations. Now she is addicted and is always sniffing glue.

In light of the above, women rights activists have been calling on government to ensure that there is a fund in place to distribute free sanitary wear and pain relievers to the underpriviledged.

It is discriminatory for government to only pronounce measures trying to address the issues of those who can afford while remaining quiet about the issue of providing free sanitary wear to the disadvantaged who cannot afford and are vulnerable to health consequenses of using unsafe means such as dirty rags, newspapers, socks and other unhygienic means. Human development and gender equality cannot be achieved if underprivileged girls and women are left behind for the mere reason that they do not afford.

The removal of duty and VAT on sanitary wear, while it is a step in the right direction, must therefore not be viewed as an end in itself, but just a means to an end as more still need to be done.

The meeting, however, agreed that because of incapacitation, nurses will continue with the two-day working shifts instead of the stipulated three days.

The Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association (ZINA) have agreed to suspend their mass industrial action set for today giving President Emmerson Mnangagwa a ten day ultimatum to sort out their salary grievances.

The move by the nurses comes after a gruelling two hour meeting with President Mnangagwa at State House on Friday where the President committed that he will personally look into their grievances and address them as early as the beginning of next month.

The meeting, however, agreed that because of incapacitation, nurses will continue with the two-day working shifts instead of the stipulated three days — a position that was also communicated to the President and Government officials attending the meeting.

The Friday meeting, which was attended by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo, Finance and Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, Acting Labour and Social Welfare Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Labour and Social Welfare Secretary Mr Simon Masanga and Health Services Board chairperson Dr Paulinus Sikosana was centred on four critical issues — remuneration, non-monetary benefits, human resource issues in public health institutions and the availability, accessibility and affordability of medicines.

Below is the ZINA official communication to its members following the meeting with Mnangagwa.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Sugar Association (ZSA) assured the country that there are adequate sugar supplies and there is no need for panic buying.

State Media|Tongaat Hulett has gazetted recommended retail sugar prices for the commodity.

The prices for brown sugar are $4,99 for 1kg, $9,98 for 2kg, $24,95 for 5kg and $49,90 for 10kg.

White sugar recommended prices are $5,22 for 1kg, $10,44 for 2kg, $26,10 for 5kg and $52,20 for 10kg.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Sugar Association (ZSA) assured the country that there are adequate sugar supplies and there is no need for panic buying.

In a statement recently, ZSA chairperson Mr Muchadeyi Masunda said that the country had sufficient sugar stocks to meet national requirements.

“As ZSA we urge all retailers and wholesalers to continue behaving responsibly.

“We also advise our valued customers that the industry will continue to deliver sugar nationwide to meet normal domestic requirements,” he said.

A BULAWAYO-based traffic cop indecently assaulted his uniformed female boss when he grabbed her by the waist before squeezing up against her body in a sexually suggestive manner in full view of other police officers.

The incident occurred almost two years ago at the Bulawayo Central Traffic Police Station (Drill Hall).

Some of the police officers who witnessed the spectacle took pictures and circulated them on social media.
This emerged when sergeant Baliko Muhango (36) of Pumula South suburb approached the High Court last week challenging the outcome of an internal disciplinary hearing.

Sgt Muhango filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court challenging the decision by his bosses to convict him under the Police Act.State media

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